Reflection
by Vedesca
Summary: Some closure to Daughters of Darkness


Spoiler: Daughters of Darkness   
Disclaimer: Ash, Mary-Lynnette and the storyline this is based on all belong to L.J. Smith and her publisher. Torin, Ashley, Colin, and the precluding storyline were my own creation.   
Summary: Some closure to DoD...   
  
Mary-Lynnette put the newly hot bowl of oatmeal on the hard wood table. Its rich aroma overwhelmed her senses. She breathed the warm steam in deeply, allowing it to possess her. A sharp ding rang out and ended the moment for Mary-Lynnette. Quickly she ran to the other side of her kitchen to remove the other bowl from the microwave. She rushed back to the table and placed it across form the other.   
  
"Ashley...Torin...breakfast!" she yelled upstairs. Her 16-year-old daughter appeared first. She resembled her mother quite a bit. They both had the lithe frame and same dark hair and eyes. Yet her attitude was more uptight and serious then Mary-Lynnette's had ever been. Her daughter would never kick anyone in the shins. Ashley looked at the bowl of oatmeal on the oak table and shot her mother an evil glance.   
  
"Oatmeal.... you expect me to eat this mush? How utterly disgusting."   
  
"It's what you're getting so quit the bitching. Now, where is that brother of yours?" Ashley just shrugged and played with the rapidly cooling oatmeal in front of her.   
  
"Torin! Get down here now!" Mary-Lynnette screamed. Above her she could hear many thunks and thuds as her 17-year-old son scrambled to get ready. Minutes later he came down the stairs sloppily dressed in khakis and a T-shirt. His auburn hair was uncombed and loose. Torin, on the other hand, resembled his father. Except for his devotion to astronomy. That he got from his mother.   
  
"Hi Mom." He said as he quickly kissed her on the cheek. "Dad coming home soon?"   
  
"Next Friday if everything goes well." Mary-Lynnette sighed. She had given up her life for her husband, for her love of him more accurately. The past seventeen years of her life she played the role of housewife, caring mother and devoted spouse. Of course she had accomplished her goals. She could never have loved a man, changed her ways for him, if she had done nothing with her life.   
  
At the age of 26, Mary-Lynnette had discovered a new planet. She was so excited to have accomplished something that incredible at that young an age. When she was 27 an observatory was named in her honor. By the time Mary-Lynnette was 28 she had already published 3 books on astronomy and one textbook. Then she met Colin. A fanatical, illogical redheaded archeologist. They fell in love instantly; a year later they were married and had their first child, Torin.   
  
After Torin was born, she stopped her research and limited herself to a few guest speeches a year. Colin moved the entire family to upstate New York so he could study the history of the glaciers and what they left behind. They have stayed there ever since.   
  
Of course her marriage lacked something. There would always be a completeness she and Colin could never achieve. Sometimes late at night in her dreams she feels complete, but those are the deep dreams that she can barely remember. Mary-Lynnette was not a person to dwell on the past, on what could have been.   
  
That was until the doorbell rang later that night.   
  
The family had just finished their meal of baked chicken and wild rice when it happened. Mary-Lynnette was washing the dishes in the kitchen and Torin answered the door.   
  
"Mom, it's for you."   
  
"Who is it?" She shouted back to her son.   
  
"I don't know, he just asked to see you." Torin replied   
  
"Ma, it is some guy...I don't recognize him." Ashley interjected. Mary-Lynnette sighed as she dried her hands on the nearby dishtowel. Shaking her head she walked up to the open front door of her home.   
  
"May I help you?" She asked politely, pulling a strand of graying hair out of her eyes. The young man had pale blond hair and violet eyes. He just stared at Mary-Lynnette for a few moments before speaking.   
  
"Hello Mary-Lynnette." He replied soft and slow. His eyes, now green seemed to be examining her soul for flaws.   
  
"Who are you?" She whispered.   
  
"You know." He stated quietly as he picked up her hand and kissed her palm. A violent shock coursed through Mary-Lynnette's body. Her vision blurred into a magenta haze. The young man steadied her, but did not break the contact.   
  
"Ash." She sighed.   
  
"Mom?" A voice cut through the intensity. It was Ashley's. Mary-Lynnette blinked rapidly and backed up, breaking the link.   
  
"Mom, who is it?" The voice cut through again.   
  
"Ash...would you like to come in?" She stammered in a daze.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Once Mary-Lynnette shooed the kids out of the house with $50 and an extended curfew, she and Ash began to talk.   
  
"Why are you here?" She asked abruptly   
  
"I had to see you."   
  
"But we agreed..."   
  
"Mare, we're soul mates," Ash said cutting her off.   
  
"That doesn't matter anymore, Ash. We found that out when you came back 27 years ago."   
  
They both remembered that night clearly, although Mary-Lynnette hadn't really thought about it since. She had been on her hill, star gazing, when Ash came up behind her. He poured his heart out to her, telling all the things he had done to earn her love. He wanted to change her more than he did when he had left. He said it was to protect her in a battle. He wanted her to come away with him. Sobbing, she refused him. She had spent that year contemplating her future. But her final decision did not include a vampire soul mate. She couldn't go through a change like that when she was a young as she was. Unfortunately, you cannot change a person when they are older. That night Mary-Lynnette left Briar Creek and everything behind.   
  
Now 27 years later she was sitting next to Ash and he was as annoying and attractive as ever.   
  
"How old are you now?"   
  
Ash cleared his throat. "I stopped aging at 23."   
  
"Ahh..." He looked her over once again.   
  
"Late 40's?" He guessed. Mary-Lynnette nodded. "Still beautiful."   
  
"Flattery won't work Ash." She said while rising to her feet. "I think it is time for you to leave now. " Tears rolled down his cheeks. She knew how hard this was for him; it was hard for her too. Having to say goodbye to your soul mate, the one person who makes you complete. Mary-Lynnette started to cry softly. Ash wiped away her tears with his thumb. Gently titling her face up, he kissed her deeply. Their tears ran together. Mary-Lynnette shuttered as Ash pulled away.   
  
"Please don't come back." She begged. Ash sighed and closed his eyes. A minute later he was gone.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ash returned once more after that night. Mary-Lynnette's husband was long gone and she was an old woman. 103 to be exact. 103 and on her deathbed herself. No one saw him enter. He silently slipped upstairs to her room and sat beside her. She recognized him, he was sure of that. She grasped his had and held it to her. Breathlessly she whispered the words he never thought he'd hear from her.   
  
"I'm sorry"   
  
Ash cried silently as she died, holding her hand until the last moment.   
  



End file.
